What Could, Should, and Will Be
by angellwings
Summary: The label wants Nate to be a solo artist and their attempt to lure him away from Connect Three has gotten to his head. Lucky for him, his guardian angel shows up to set him straight. Inspired by the film, The Family Man. Nate/Ella, 3 Chapters.
1. Chapter 1

What Could, Should, and Will Be

by angellwings

* * *

Chapter One: Divine Intervention

* * *

It all started when Connect Three's album didn't sell like everyone expected it to. The label seemed to decide that Connect Three was old and over.

They also seemed to decide that Nate Gray would be better off alone.

Nate wasn't sure he agreed. He didn't want to hurt his brothers and he really loved working with them. Plus, things were going very well for him right now. He and Ella were finally one conversation away from a date. They'd been dancing around it for too long and he could feel the tension coming to a head.

But then the label started giving him these perks. Just him. Not Jason or Shane. Just him. It started with a meeting with Van Pador. Van Pador who was Ella's distant father. He'd never met him but he'd always admired the man's career and the sheer number of awards he'd earned in his lifetime. Van and Ella were complicated but that didn't stop him from respecting what Van had accomplished with his music career. Van had told him to take every advantage he was offered. Opportunity wouldn't wait around forever.

That started Nate thinking. Then the label started sending gifts. They sent him a car, a new guitar, tickets to sporting events…

Who was it hurting to accept them? All he'd told the label was that he was still considering it. If they wanted to give him gifts, well, then that was their prerogative.

"You know," Shane said with a scoff as Nate opened yet another gift. "The longer you accept those things the longer you let them think you might say yes."

"I didn't say yes."

"Yeah, we get that, Nate," Jason said with a sigh. "But what worries us is that you haven't said no."

"I like to consider all my options," Nate said with a huff. "I always have."

They both froze and turned to stare at him. "Wait," Shane said with a glare. "You're actually thinking about it? I thought you were just milking it for the gifts!"

"I don't know," Nate said with a guilty expression. "It's an interesting offer."

"Interesting?" Jason asked in disbelief. "I thought we were all on the same page with this? Didn't we say that no matter what happens we wanted to work together? Wasn't that what we said?"

"Dude, I was twelve," Nate told him. "It's not like I knew then where we would end up. Besides, even if we're not a band, we're still brothers."

"We are now," Shane said with a sigh. "But a few years of the spotlight can change you, Nate. Trust me. I know."

"I'm not you, Shane. I'll be fine," Nate said with a roll of his eyes.

"Bro, we're two apples off of the same tree. I'm just sayin', It's possible," Shane said in a warning tone.

There was a knock on the dressing room door and all turned to find someone tall, blonde, and leggy waving at them.

"Boys," she said with a smirk. "My name is Ilsa and I'm here for Nathaniel."

He blinked at her for a long moment and looked her up and down. She was gorgeous. She leaned against the door frame and then turned her dark eyes on him.

He cleared his throat and waved. He didn't quite trust his voice.

"I'm here to tell you that the label wants to take you out after the show tonight. Well, the label wants _me_ to take you out tonight, really," she said with a laugh. "I'll pick you up here after the show, superstar, okay?"

He gulped and nodded mutely.

"Great! You've never experienced L.A. until you've experienced it with me. Trust," she told him with a wink. "Have a good show, boys!"

She turned and her stilettos could be heard clacking down the hallway for several minutes.

"Oh man, now you've done it," Jason said with a wince.

"What? What did I do?" Nate asked cluelessly.

"Ella's birthday bash is tonight, bro," Shane reminded him pointedly. "Remember?"

"Oh, right," he said thoughtfully. "Well, I'll stop by before we leave. I'm sure whatever Ilsa has planned is gonna go late."

"Stop by?" A new voice asked stiffly. "You'll _stop by_?"

Nate froze and immediately stood to face the new voice. "Ella!"

"Gee, Nathaniel, so glad you'll deign to grace me with your presence. How dare I get in the way of your night with _Ilsa_ ," Ella said dryly with a glare.

"Ella, that's not what I—"

"No, you know what, Nate. Don't bother. I don't need you to 'stop by.' I wouldn't want to force you to keep _Ilsa_ waiting," she said in a clipped tone.

"Ella, please just—"

"You're walking a thin line here, Nate," Ella told him. "I know you talked to my dad and I know the label wants to lure you away from the band. I know my father probably told you no opportunity should be wasted. But, Nathaniel, consider the source. My father has nothing. He has no one in his life. It's just him, the label, and his music. Is that really what you want? To be all alone with your music?"

She paused and watched him for an answer.

He honestly didn't know how to respond. The thought of working on his own music with the producers the label could provide was actually very tempting. "I—I don't know."

Ella swallowed thickly and suddenly looked very sad. "That answer is as good as a yes." She backed away from him and he took a step forward but she held a hand up to stop him. "Don't, Nate. Not right now." She took a deep calming breath and then turned to Jason and Shane. "Have a good show, guys."

They waved awkwardly as she left and then gave Nate glances that clearly said they agreed with Ella and weren't thrilled with him either.

"Are you guys honestly telling me neither of you would consider this offer?" Nate asked them in a challenging tone.

"No, I would. But for a day. Not weeks. You've been thinking about this for at least three weeks," Shane told him.

"Look, Nate," Jason told him with a shake of his head. "We'll support you no matter what. Honestly, we will. But supporting you and agreeing with you are two totally different things. You either know your answer by now or you don't. It's time to quit dragging your feet. You're letting the gifts go to your head."

"I'm not!" He disagreed.

"Dude," Jason said with a sigh. "You just blew off Ella. You remember her right? The girl you've been in love with for the last several years. And you blew her off for a girl you barely know because _Ilsa_ looks like Giselle. Before all of this," Jason said as he motioned to the car keys on Nate's vanity table and the new guitar in the corner. "You never would have done that."

"I told you, man," Shane said with a shake of his head. "The spotlight changes people. Be careful."

They left the room and headed for the stage. Nate lingered behind, confused and hurt. Was he really letting that happen? And, oh god, he really had blown off Ella, hadn't he? And on her birthday! Nate groaned miserably and then left the dressing room as well. He bumped into someone and then felt his foot step into something very wet.

He heard a wince and then looked down to see his foot in a mop bucket.

"Woops," the janitor said as she gripped the bucket and then pulled it off of his foot.

"Oh great!" Nate yelled. "Perfect. This is the worst night. Everyone's mad at me and I don't know what to do. I mean just because I'd be recording my own music doesn't mean I'd forget about them! Besides, what are we going to do if the label drops us? How would that work? I mean maybe it's for the best if we head them off at the pass, right?"

The janitor blinked at him. "Oh, darling, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh, god, sorry," Nate said with an embarrassed blush.

"That's alright," she said with a kind smile. "Sounds like you're at quite the crossroads."

"I guess you could call it that, yeah," Nate admitted.

"Don't worry, sweetheart," The janitor told him as she patted his arm sympathetically. "I think something's about to come along to help you figure it out."

His brow furrowed. "What?"

 _"Nate! Look out!"_

He didn't know who screamed but he turned immediately to try and find them. As he turned the world went black and he felt like he was falling or floating. Maybe both. What the hell happened?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Happy Wife, Happy Life

by angellwings

An alarm sounded to his left and he reached out to silence it, but his nightstand wasn't there. Instead his hand found soft and silky hair. His eyes blinked open and he turned his head to see a dark head of hair in his bed. It was turned away from him and the covers were pulled up to their shoulders. The alarm continued to blare and a groan sounded from the dark head of hair as a delicate hand reached out from under the covers and smacked the alarm clock.

"Shut up," a familiar voice grumbled. "It's too early."

His eyes widened and he swallowed thickly. "E—ella?"

"Morning," she said with a soft hum as she rolled over to face him. "I'm surprised you're still in bed. You decided not to run this morning, I take it? Is Max in the yard?"

"Max?" Nate asked with a furrowed brow. "I—what—what are you doing in my apartment?"

Her brow furrowed for a moment before her face relaxed and she chuckled. "Did you have that dream again? Honey, you got rid of that apartment years ago. Remember? Little house in Rolling Meadows? 3 bedroom, 2 and half bath?"

He blinked at her for a moment and then glanced around the room. She was right, this wasn't his apartment at all, but he did not recognize it. And Rolling Meadows? Where the hell was that? What about L.A.? What was happening? How did he get here?

"I think you need coffee," Ella said with a laugh as she leaned over and placed a quick kiss on his lips. "I'll go make some. Since you clearly haven't yet, can you find Max and let him outside? He's probably dying to go out by now. And can you check on Matty? It's Saturday and he should still be sleeping, but you know how he gets."

Max, he assumed was a dog. But Matty? Who was Matty?

"Uh, yeah, yeah, okay."

Was he losing his mind? Was Ella losing her mind? Was it both? And they were kissing now? Not that it was an unwelcome change but…when did that start and how did he miss it? He sat up as Ella got out of bed and headed into the bathroom. He heard her brushing her teeth as he pulled sweatpants over his boxers. He sat back down on the edge of the bed and glanced around the bedroom. It was well lived in and there were trinkets and photos everywhere. There were a few framed sketches and articles. He turned toward his nightstand and his brow furrowed in confusion.

What was that? He picked up the frame and stared at its contents.

A wedding invitation. A wedding invitation dated nearly one year into the future. How did Ella have a wedding invitation from the future?

"I framed it so you'd never forget our Anniversary, Mr. Gray. Notice how it's displayed on your nightstand instead of mine?" Ella asked as she leaned against the bathroom doorframe with a smirk.

He gulped as he looked up at her. She was in a button up dress shirt that had to be his and a pair of thick socks. That was it. He'd imagined just this scene in his head, but without the wedding invitation or a discussion about a dog and a Matty coming before it.

Wait, did she say anniversary?

"Anniversary?" He repeated out loud.

She gave him a concerned look and then crawled onto the bed to sit behind him. She wrapped her arms around him from behind and placed a kiss on his neck. "Are you feeling okay?" She brought one of her hands up to feel his forehead. "You didn't catch Matty's cold, did you? I know you have this thing at the Music Factory tonight so I tried to keep him at a distance but then last night I had that wardrobe emergency with Mitchie and you had to watch him but I thought he was over it. He was feeling much better and I—"

She was rambling and frantic and worried and he couldn't help but find her adorable. He was in a life he didn't recognize and freaked out beyond on belief yet one thing remained the same. Ella would always win him over. She had a piece of his heart no matter what life or world he found himself in. He turned his head, leaned back a little, and then placed a kiss on her lips to interrupt her rant. Somehow that felt natural despite the fact he'd never done that before.

"I'm fine, I'm not sick," He answered with a warm smile. "I just had a dream that threw me off that's all."

"A dream?" Ella asked curiously. She moved out from behind him to sit beside him on the edge of the bed. "One of those extremely real ones? That feel like they're actually happening?"

"Yes, one of those," He told her with a nod. "Except it was more like a memory. We fought over your 25th birthday bash. I had plans with the label and was just gonna—"

"You had plans with Ilsa," she said with a chuckle. "Not the label. We fought about it, I told you not to come to my party if you didn't really want to. You went out with her, signed as a solo act a few weeks later, and then moved to New York to record by yourself. I remember, Nathaniel."

He blushed in embarrassment. She made him sound like such a jerk. "I'm sorry," he said with a soft sigh.

"Don't worry about it," Ella said with a chuckle. "We cleared the air about that a long time ago. The day after you moved to New York you showed up at my door step and poured out your beautifully artistic yet strangely inarticulate soul." She laughed and winked at him before kissing him deeply. "You could never talk to girls you liked. It was so cute. Thankfully, we've moved past that after nearly 7 years of marriage."

7 years of—he was in the future? A future that he apparently had with…Ella? There was a slow shuffling outside of their bedroom door before a hesitant knock sounded. Ella smiled affectionately at the door before she spoke.

"Come on in, kiddo," she said with a chuckle.

Nate's breath caught in his throat as a boy with a head full of dark curls and warm chocolate brown eyes walked in the room.

"Mommy, I can't sleep anymore," the boy said with a sigh. "I tried. I promise I tried."

She quirked a brow at him. "You really tried? You didn't, by any chance, wake up at 5 am and spend the last 3 hours playing air keys, did you? Is practicing on the actual thing for hours upon hours each day not enough for you?"

"What else am I gonna do?" He asked as he crossed his arms over his chest and furrowed his brow. "Play video games? Really, mommy, air keys are better."

Ella laughed at him and then playfully slapped Nate's arm. "This is all your fault, you know. He had to inherit the Gray Family musical genius."

He gulped and then smiled slowly. That was his kid? He was the best combination of himself and Ella. He was perfect. "He's right, though," Nate told her with a smirk. "I'd rather him spend the morning practicing on an air keyboard than playing video games."

"I let Max out into the backyard," Matty told them.

Ella gave him an alarmed look. "Matty, you didn't."

"He was scratching at the door!"

"Yes, but you know you're not supposed to leave your room in the mornings without one of us. Not since that time you tried to cook us breakfast," Ella said with a gentle smile.

"I know," Matty said with a guilty expression.

Ella stood from the bed and then knelt next to him. "Really, your attempt to cook was very sweet, young man, just like you, but until you're a little older let's only light the gas stove if an adult is with you, okay?" He nodded silently. Ella chuckled at him and kissed his cheek. She poked his side playfully and he squirmed with a bright laugh.

Nate couldn't look away from them as Matty's guilty expression turned to one of joy and his and Ella's conversation dissolved into a tickle fight. Though Matty wasn't very successful. He ended up a squirming and giggling bundle in Ella's lap. The tickling turned into Ella repeatedly kissing Matty all over his face. He squealed and tried to break away with a disgusted face. A disgusted face that looked a lot like Nate's own face whenever he was disgusted. He really was looking at his kid.

"Mo-om!" He whined.

Ella laughed and finally released him. "Go play your keyboard, Mini-Nate. I'll call you when breakfast is ready." Matty kissed her cheek and then bounded off toward Nate.

Nate's eyes widened as the boy wrapped his arms around Nate's neck and crawled into his lap. He kissed his cheek and then hugged Nate tightly.

"Morning, daddy," Matty said before he crawled out of Nate's lap. "Later, daddy!"

The boy then sprinted off much quicker than he came in.

Ella rolled her eyes and smiled affectionately after him. "I'm going to leave with you with the responsibility of getting him away from that keyboard long enough to eat and go to school. It's your turn."

"My turn?" He asked.

"Oh no you don't," Ella told him with a playful glare. "I've gotten stuck with that job the last three days because you had some emergency at the Music Factory but not this morning, sir. That kid has your talent and your work ethic. It's your turn. What would you like for breakfast? I'm thinking pancakes and bacon. But chocolate chip pancakes and blueberry pancakes. Because it's a big day and you deserve a little treat," Ella said as she pulled on a pair of boxer shorts. They looked familiar—Oh god. They were his. They were old by now, since he was somehow seven years in the future, but in his own time he'd literally just bought them. He hadn't even worn them yet.

Now he probably never could. He'd always picture Ella slipping them on.

"What's so special about today?" He asked.

She laughed at him. "You are very funny. Stop playing around and get dressed. You have to leave for work in an hour."

"You're not getting dressed," Nate said with a smirk and a quirked brow.

"I work from home, smartass," Ella said with a teasing grin. "I don't have to get dressed."

She left the room and headed down the hallway. That left him alone to get himself familiar with the future Nate's wardrobe. He discovered his wardrobe wasn't that different. If anything it was just a hint more formal than his usual wardrobe. More business appropriate than what he currently wore but his style hadn't changed much. He got dressed and ready for the day and tried to figure out what happened to bring him here. How did he jump seven—no eight according to the invitation he and Ella dated for almost a year first—years in time? Why did he jump time at all?

The last thing he remembered was someone shouting at him to look out and then everything went black. Did he get hit with something? Was this all a dream?

"It's not a dream."

Nate jumped and spun around to see a little old woman holding a feather duster. "What?"

"This isn't a dream or a hallucination. You're really here," she told him. "This is what your life could be in 8 years. The right girl, the perfect kid, and you haven't even seen the best part yet."

"The best part?" He asked her. "Who are you?"

"You're guardian angel," she said with a chuckle. "You are at a crossroads, my young friend, and I am here to help."

He squinted at her and then suddenly remembered. "The janitor! I stepped in the mop bucket and you—"

"I sent you here," she said with a nod. "You need to know where the right decisions will lead you and how important it is to keep your priorities straight."

"That's what I'm supposed to learn from this?" He asked her with a furrowed brow.

"If I'm as good as I know I am then yes," she said with a quiet laugh.

"Nate, I forgot to tell you that I hired a—Oh," Ella said as she came back to the doorway. "I see you've met. Nate, this is Angelica, our new house keeper."

"Pleasure to meet you," Angelica said with a kind smile. "I should get back to work. Mrs. Gray," Angelica said with a nod to Ella as she left the room.

"Isn't she great?" Ella asked him. "She got here 5 minutes ago and she's already cleaned behind the refrigerator! Who does that? She is going to make my life so much easier over the next 7 months."

His brow furrowed for what felt like the millionth time that morning. "Why just the next 7 months?"

"Well, okay not just the next 7 months," Ella admitted. "It will be nice to have her for the first year with the baby. It's been 5 years since I've taken care of a baby so we'll need all the help we can get."

He froze and his throat tightened. She was pregnant? Ella was pregnant? With his baby? He knew he was in the future and he'd already seen one kid of theirs but—this was different. Somehow, it was different. She must have already told future Nate this because she didn't seem to be waiting for his response. He gulped and then tried to play it cool. "Just 7 months and they'll be a baby," he said with a soft grin.

Ella faced him slowly and then wrapped her arms around his chest. "A new tiny baby and maybe this one will be born with a talent for fashion, hm?"

He chuckled and then kissed her temple. "Maybe. Listen, I'm dressed and ready to go. Why don't I make breakfast? You just take it easy for an hour, okay?"

She nodded and then kissed his cheek. "You don't have to ask me twice. I'll be downstairs watching my morning shows."

Nate then followed the sounds of keyboards down the hall to Matty's room and carefully opened the door. He listened for a moment. The kid was good for his age. Very good.

"Hey, kid," Nate said. Matty stopped playing and turned to face him. "Take a break for a bit. Let's make breakfast."

Matty brightened and Nate remembered Ella telling him he could only cook breakfast with an adult.

"Really?" He asked excitedly.

He nodded. "Yeah, pancakes. You coming?"

"Yeah!" Matty yelled as he jumped up and bounded off toward the kitchen.

Nate sat Matty on the counter and handed him the mixing bowl and together they mixed the batter for blueberry and chocolate chip pancakes in separate bowls. Nate had never cooked with a kid before but Matty was very good. He didn't do anything without first getting Nate's permission and he was very careful to avoid anything hot.

"Daddy?" Matty asked.

He was funny how quickly he'd adjusted to that title. "Yeah?"

"Can I go with you to work today?" Matty asked. "I want to see the new office! And Uncle Shane and Uncle Jason! Can I?"

Ella wandered into the kitchen and smiled affectionately at him. "You'll see after school, remember?"

"But I want to see it with the news crews all around! I wanna be on TV!" Matty said with a bright smile. "Can I go?"

"Sorry, buddy, school first and then you can come visit, okay?" Nate told him.

"I guess," Matty said with a sigh.

New office? News crews? What exactly were he and his brothers doing these days? He heard Ella talk about Music Factory all morning. He assumed it was a label he was working for or something similar. But he was getting the impression that assumption was wrong.

"Daddy and I made the pancakes!" Matty told Ella excitedly.

"I see that!" Ella told him. "They look delicious! Now, let's eat before we make daddy late for work and you late for school."

He smiled softly as he watched Ella help Matty down from the counter and then the two of them walked the plates of food over to the table. He had to admit that this was a pretty breathtaking future. He had a gorgeous successful wife and a kid that was precocious and grumpy and talented and then another one on the way.

He was feeling happier than he'd felt in a very long time. Angelica was right. If this is what came from making the right decisions then he never wanted to make a wrong one.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Family First

After breakfast, Nate kissed Ella goodbye, dropped Matty off at school and then found his way to The Music Factory. There was a flyer in his car or else he never would have found it.

It was an older brick building with a distinctly industrial vibe. Hence, he assumed, the name The Music Factory. According to the flyer, it was an affordable music academy for children and teenagers, kindergarten through twelfth grade. Camp Rock year around, basically. If Camp Rock offered scholarships and offered to pay for a demo recording session upon high school graduation.

How were they ever going to make money on this?

He parked and stepped out of the car. He found his brothers standing outside the doorway with a red ribbon in front of them and a row of news crews.

Shane laughed when he saw him. "Late, per usual."

Late? Nate had never been late. He was never known for being late. He was late now because he couldn't find the place. Was it a habit for him to be late in the future?

"Come on, man. He's got Ella and a great kid," Jason said with a kind smile. "You can't blame him for not wanting to leave that."

"Big day, my brothas," Shane said excitedly as he put an arm around each of them. "Big day! Today, we achieve… _the dream_."

"The dream we had Ella sketch out on a napkin 5 years ago," Jason said with a chuckle as he shrugged off Shane's arm. "And now we've finished it."

"Music for all, right?" Shane asked. "Any kid who genuinely loves it should be able to explore and learn in a safe place."

Listening to his brothers talk about this place the way Brown always talked about Camp Rock left him feeling warm and proud and ready to take action. Now he got it. "All year long," Nate added. "Not just during the summer."

"Not only did we do this," Jason said with a nod. "But we did it together. That's the important part. Music and Family can be one and the same. We don't have to choose." He then turned to Nate with a grin. "Isn't that what you said? The day after you came back from New York, isn't that you said?"

"That was a good night," Shane said with a smile. "It put us on the right path. _You_ put us on the right path."

Thinking back on the conversation he'd had with Shane and Jason before the world went black and he woke up in the future, he said, "No, you guys put _me_ on the right path. We all did this. Together."

"Boys," Caitlyn said as she pranced up to them with a paint covered toddler on her hip. "The cameras are waiting. Don't you think you should cut the ribbon and get this show on the road?"

Jason beamed at her and then leaned forward to kiss her lips briefly. "Right, good plan. Why is Delia covered in paint?"

Caitlyn winked at him and then turned to look at the little girl. "What do you say Delia? Should we tell daddy what we're up to?"

"Nope!" Delia said as she made sure to pop the 'p' on the end of the word. "It's a surprise!"

"I like surprises," Jason told the little girl as he reached out and tugged on one of her pigtails.

"And I like paint," Delia said with a nod.

Cailtyn laughed. "Then that works out pretty perfectly, doesn't it?"

"Anybody know where Mitchie is?" Shane asked as he craned his neck through the crowd.

"She's setting up the stage inside," Caitlyn answered. "Somebody messed up all the levels last night. Somebody named Carter who can't seem to resist controls, dials, and buttons."

"Yep," Shane said with a laugh. "That's my boy. Curious and destructive."

"I wonder which parent he gets that from?" Nate asked with a smirk.

"Me, definitely me. And I'm dam— _darn_ proud of it," Shane told them as he slid a quick gaze over at Delia. She was distracted by mixing the paint on her hands and completely missed his near slip.

"Where's Ella?" Caitlyn asked Nate.

"Getting ready," he answered immediately. "You know how she is," he said with a chuckle. Wow, he was really accepting this as his life wasn't he? He sounded way too natural with these people. Yes, they were his same friends but they were different. They were content and settled and… _grown up_. Even Shane in his own unique way.

Caitlyn stepped back as a news anchor approached them and started talking about The Factory. There was a short interview and then they cut the ribbon. What followed was a tour of the facility with the press and then a performance by Connect Three and Mitchie Torres-Gray. Shane had announced the song they were playing as "an oldie but a goodie". The song they played was the single they'd just released last week, well it was to Nate. To these people that song was released 8 years ago at least.

It hit him as they were standing on stage after the performance that these people who were with him 8 years ago were still with him today. There was a time when he didn't know what would become of his relationship with Jason and Shane, there was a time when he didn't know how long Caitlyn and Mitchie would be in his life, but not anymore. Now he knew. This was his family. These people were where he belonged.

Making music with them was the most fun he'd ever had and it took him back to that Beach Jam where they'd played for Camp Rockers during that summer that changed everything. It took him back to the last time the hype and fame and nonsense had gotten the better of Connect Three. Shane had been right in that last conversation. They were two apples off the same tree.

They finished their performance and Nate moved to step off stage. He felt something shake and then someone shouted:

 _"_ _Nate! Look out!_ "

His eyes sprang open and he sat up immediately. That was a mistake. He winced and then brought a hand to his head. What the hell happened?

"Nate!"

Heels raced toward him and clacked against the floor and he wasn't at all surprised by the flash of sequins that knelt down in front of him. "Ella?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm here. Oh god are you okay?" She asked.

"What happened?" He asked as he glanced around the room. He wasn't in The Factory anymore. He was in the venue. Wait, the venue from 8 years in the past? How did he get back here?

"One of the crew members was carrying a 2x4 to fix one of the stage props. He turned at just the wrong moment and smacked you across the head," The janitor or guardian angel, or whoever the hell she was, said kindly. "Did it smack some sense into that curly head of yours?"

He looked up at Angelica and she winked at him and then tapped her nose. It was a gesture he knew. She was telling him not to say anything. That meant…he hadn't been dreaming or hallucinating at all. "I—yes, thank you. I think so."

"Regardless of sense or not," Ella said as she brushed a curl off of his forehead and examined his face. "You took a pretty hard hit."

"Dude! That was wicked!" Shane shouted. "You were clotheslined by a 2x4! You were just knocked flat on your ass!"

Ella turned and glared at Shane. "Really? Your brother could have a concussion."

"It was still a wicked fall," Shane mumbled with a guilty expression.

"Paramedics are in his dressing room," Jason said as he jogged up to the group.

"Thank you, _Jason_ ," Ella said as she rolled her eyes at Shane. "That was very thoughtful of you."

"Okay, _Mitchie_ ," Shane said with a smirk. "Lay off. I get it. I can do better."

"Yes, you can. Be the nice guy we know you are," Ella told him. "Help me get him up."

"I can walk," Nate told them.

"Yes," Ella agreed. "But do me a favor and let us help you. At least until a medical professional tells me you'll be fine."

"You should still be mad at me," Nate said with a confused expression. "Why aren't you mad at me? I was a jerk to you earlier."

"All jerklike tendencies are forgiven when you get hit by something thick and heavy," Ella told him.

"Really?" Shane asked with raised eyebrows.

"Don't even think about it," Ella told him sternly.

Shane and Jason helped Nate up and then stayed on either side of him as they walked him back to his dressing room.

"The concert—" Nate started to say. He was quickly interrupted by Shane.

"Bro, don't worry about it. It can wait a while," Shane said with a grin. "You're a little more important than the show."

How had he ever considered a career without these people? Did he forget how good they all were to him? Yes, he did. He was taking them for granted. Not anymore. They sat him down in his dressing room and then the paramedic asked them to step away. Nate let himself be examined and couldn't help but notice how closely Ella watched to make sure he was okay. He grinned a little during the examination and the paramedic chuckled at him.

"Is that your girl over there?" the Paramedic asked him.

Nate cleared his throat and tried not to turn his head as the Paramedic had him follow a light with his eyes. "No," he told him. "Well, not yet."

The Paramedic laughed. He thought Nate was joking. He wasn't joking.

"You're fine. No damage. Though you are gonna have a serious bump there in a few hours. Take some Tylenol and take it easy. You'll be fine. It could have been way worse. You're a lucky guy."

Nate glanced over at Ella and his friends as they waited to hear the paramedic's report and smiled softly. "Yeah, I know."

As he left, the Paramedic handed Nate an ice pack. "Hold that to your head. Should help with any bump or swelling."

"Thanks, man," Nate said to the Paramedic's retreating back.

"We'll go talk to the crowd," Jason said as he turned to leave the room. "We can't do a show tonight without Nate." Jason grabbed Shane by the shirt collar and pulled him from the room.

"I wish they wouldn't do that," Nate said with a huff.

Ella gave him a sympathetic look and then sat beside him. She took the icepack from his hand and then held it against the growing lump on his head. "They won't do the show without you and you can't go out there and do the show you'd want to do."

"I know, I just hate to disappoint anyone."

"You didn't do it on purpose," Ella told him.

"I really don't like disappointing you," Nate admitted. "And I did that earlier tonight."

Ella bit her bottom lip and looked away from him. That's when he knew he was right.

"Oh god," Nate said suddenly. "Your party is tonight. You can't miss your party, Ella. I'm not gonna be responsible for you missing your own party. I've already disappointed you enough."

She opened her mouth to speak but a knock sounded at his door. They both looked up to see Ilsa standing there.

"Oh wow, I heard about your accident!" she said as she stepped into the room. "The label's going to reschedule our outing tonight so—"

"I'm gonna stop you right there," Nate said calmly. "I've changed my mind. I don't want to hear any more offers from the label."

Ella looked up at him with bright wide eyes.

"What?" Ilsa asked in shock.

"You either keep Connect Three or you dump us," Nate told her with a sigh. "I hope the label doesn't dump us, but I'm not leaving my family. Music and family can be one and the same. I don't have to choose one over the other. The label can't make me do that. It was nice to meet you Ilsa. Have a good trip back to New York."

Ilsa shook her head at him. "You are going to regret this. I hope you know that."

"Pretty sure I won't. Thanks for the offer though," Nate said dismissively as she left.

"You—you—you just turned down a potential offer to record your own music," Ella said with wide eyes and a small smile.

"I don't want to make music without my brothers and I don't want to make music in New York," Nate told her as he placed his hand over hers and pulled the icepack off of his head. "Mostly because I feel like that's just too far away from you."

Ella gasped. "What?"

"I was an idiot earlier tonight, Ella. I've been an idiot since the album came out. I don't want a girl like Ilsa. I never did. I want _you_ ," Nate told her as he met her eyes.

"How hard did you hit your head?" Ella asked with a nervous gulp.

"Not so hard that I don't know what I'm saying right now," Nate told her. "Have dinner with me. I mean not tonight because you have your party but sometime this week. Have dinner with me, please?"

"Yes," Ella answered immediately.

"Oh, wow," Nate said in surprise. "I thought I'd have to work a little harder for that."

Ella laughed and then shook her head at him. "I've been waiting for you to ask me out for years, Nate. There's no chance I'd say no."

Nate leaned forward and quickly closed the distance between them. He covered her lips with his and proceeded to kiss her thoroughly. She was just started to sink into it when he pulled away and placed the ice pack against his head again. "I would continue but I'm starting to feel the pain."

She chuckled at him and nodded. "Right, we'll finish this later. I've missed you, Nate. I'm glad you're back."

He nodded. "Me too. I wouldn't miss this for the world."

"Miss what?" She asked with a furrowed brow and a tilted head.

"The beginning."

"Of what?"

"The beginning of the rest of my life," Nate told her with a confident smile. "And I think it's gonna be a good one."


End file.
